INTRODUCTION

   The release of strong and popular game titles in the market almost always marks the release of several gaming related peripherals by many manufacturers, some of which are even designed after a specific game to maximize exposure. Just over month ago Bioware released the final chapter of their popular Mass Effect trilogy and although it was indeed a great game and offered many things not found in the past 2 titles still the ending was far from what anyone expected (honestly i never want that game to end so i hope we see an ME4 soon). In 3 weeks we also expect Diablo III yet another popular game title to get released. Unfortunately Diablo III has been in the works for far too many years (Blizzard used to be a lot faster) and so all of its excited fans are certain to devour pretty much every gaming peripheral launched under its name. Thermaltake and more specifically TteSports have yet to release a product based on a game title (which i agree is not what really matters with any product) and instead they just launched the Saphira gaming mouse we have here with us today.

   “Challenge is the game” highlights the philosophy to bring out gamers’ addiction in gaming and the ambition of reaching to the extreme. Tt eSPORTS, a gaming obsessed division from Thermaltake, is uniting gamers from all over the world in a unique & fascinating eSPORTS culture, inherited the spirits of Thermaltake, is an energetic, powerful, bold and intelligent challenger who never says “no” to the extreme competition. We do not only provide gamers the ultimate gaming gears but also fulfills the passion to achieve the ultimate success. Thermaltake has been a well-known brand in the gaming & DIY market for PC Chassis, Coolers and Power Supplies PSU for many years. The brand personality of unique, aggressive, vivid and stylish makes Thermaltake an expert in creating exciting things and fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts. Tt eSPORTS inherited the brand personality with unique and creative design by observing users’ behaviors and requirements. The fan cooling design on Tt eSPORTS Challenger keyboard demonstrate the brand spirit. It is the worldwide first keyboard with fan cooling function that could dry your hand sweats and blow tension away during cut-throat competition.

   Now because the Saphira gaming mouse was co-designed and co-developed with the help of White-Ra a professional StarCraft 2 gamer from Ukraine the main focus was not on raw speed like the more high end units found in the TteSports line but rather on an excellent grip/weight ratio for increased accuracy something that's really needed in RTS games (speed not so much). So instead of equipping the Saphira gaming mouse with an blazing fast 5000DPI+ laser sensor they used an slower 3500DPI one while at the same time they also implemented a weight adjustment system and a very good rubber coated body. Some hardcore gamers may consider the Saphira to be quite slow compared to other gaming mice (since I’ve been using 5000DPI+ units for over a year now that was my initial thought so i can't really blame anyone for thinking the same) but you'll be surprised at how well it handles, i was.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Two large pictures of the Saphira gaming mouse and White-Ra can be seen at the front right above the 3 main product features.

As usual the front of the box opens up like a book to reveal the Saphira gaming mouse and its main features showcased with the help of 3 images.

At the rear we see a few words from White-Ra and the 3 main product features listed in 15 languages.

TteSports packs the Saphira gaming mouse alongside 3 case stickers, a quick installation guide and a warranty policy booklet.

THE SAPHIRA

Compared to the Black Element and the Theron gaming units i have reviewed in the past the Saphira is designed for the best possible grip and so its design includes basic lines and a rubber coated surface.

Placed at the left side are two thumb buttons and a rubber area right beneath them for improved grip.

Four DPI selection LEDs represent the four available levels.

The TteSports logo is placed at the rear of the Saphira and sits above a red LED.

Where we usually find the DPI selection buttons we see a long opening, part of the two main front buttons. The front buttons also feature high grade OMRON switches with a life span of up to 5.000.000 clicks. 

A large rubber area is also present at the right side of the Saphira.

The scroll wheel of the Saphira is not only actually very good and silent but it also has a red LED beneath it.

The Saphira also features a long braided cable and a golden USB plug, two features which i am always glad to see.

Turning the Saphira over we see that it comes with two large rubber feet (instead of 3/4 found on most units).

As expected the 3500DPI gaming optical precision laser sensor is placed at the middle of the Saphira.

The DPI and Polling Rate selection buttons are placed right next to it.

The function lock button ensures that you will not accidentally change any of the settings while playing.

At the upper right corner we find the profile selection button which allows you to rotate between the 5 available profiles (naturally).

The weight compartment is placed at the lower end of the Saphira.

Here we find 5 pre-mounted weights of 4.5g each adding to a total of 22.5g.

USING THE SAPHIRA

Prior to actually plugging in the unit i strongly recommend heading over to the official support page and download both the latest driver and firmware versions.

Updating the firmware takes only a few seconds to complete.

Now the first thing you will possible do is change the DPI since by default the Saphira is very slow. When you increase the DPI of the unit the front red LEDs light up as seen above.

The lighting effects of the Saphira are not something special but I’ve always considered black and red as one of the best possible color combinations possible.

CONTROL PANEL

The control panel of the Saphira is very simple to use but what really stands out is the onscreen display of the current DPI and Polling Rate speeds. That aside you can perform all the usual functions such as to switch between the 5 available profiles, remap the buttons, turn on/off the illumination effects, adjust the DPI/Click/Cursor/Scroll speeds and create your own Macro commands.

CONCLUSION

   The Saphira is a very good gaming mouse but if you are an avid FPS (First Person Shooter) gamer then this is clearly not the mouse for you since the 3500DPI laser sensor may be quite accurate and fast but will not give you the extra edge you need in fast games, especially online ones in which most gamers use 5000DPI+ units. On the other hand exactly because the laser sensor is not the fastest one around that guarantees better accuracy with RTS (Real Time Strategy) titles and that's the entire concept behind the Saphira gaming mouse. Of course TteSports could have used a faster laser sensor but on one hand that would mean a higher price tag while on the other they already have faster units in their product line. Speed aside the grip of the Saphira is also excellent not only thanks to its rather small rubber coated body but also largely thanks to the adjustable weight system although i have to admit i never actually used since i found out quite fast that the default weight of the Saphira was the best for me so i only removed the weights once and then placed them back. The function lock button can come quite handy although i can't really figure out how one could accidentally press the DPI/Polling Rate/Profile buttons since they are placed beneath the unit. Sure it is possible if you move the unit around but while playing a game i really doubt it.

   Although the Saphira gaming mouse by TteSports is a rather new product you can pretty much find it everywhere and so inside the USA it currently retails for USD49.99 (Newegg) while inside the EU you can find it at around 48Euros. So we have a high quality gaming mouse with good speed levels, excellent accuracy, very good grip and a adjustable weight system for under USD50/50Euros need i say more? Of course like i said the Saphira was not developed for FPS titles or at least not for hardcore gamers of that kind (since I’m sure most people will not have any problem with it) so in the end it always comes down to personal reference and needs. Personally I’d use it without a second thought with 90% of the games i play and that's why it gets the Golden award.

PROS

- Build Quality (OMRON Switches)
- Design (Grip)
- Accuracy
- Weight Adjustable
- Function Lock Button
- Illumination Effects
- Braided Cable/ Gold USB plug
- User Friendly Control Software
- Price (For Some) 

CONS

- Laser Sensor Not Suitable For Hardcore FPS Gamers (3500DPI)
- Single Color Illumination